The State Nutrition Officer, Kwara State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Gbenga Bankole has advised pregnant women to inculcate dietary diversity in their meals, saying proper nutrition is crucial during pregnancy.

Dr. Bankole gave this advice during the last episode of ‘Adequate Nutrition and Healthy Living’ on Kwara State Television, a programme sponsored by Kwara State Ministry of Communications.

The State Nutrition Officer who defined malnutrition in pregnancy as a situation whereby pregnant women do not have enough nutrients to sustain the growing baby, disclosed that there is an increased demand for nutrition during pregnancy, which requires a corresponding supply of nutrients.

Speaking on the appropriate meal during pregnancy, Dr. Bankole encouraged pregnant women to fortify their meals by eating food that are cross cutting, eat in moderation and avoid food that they are allergic to, noting that malnutrition during pregnancy may result to anemia – shortage of blood, which reduces the pregnant women’s ability to fight infections while the growing baby may develop congenital abnormally, developmental delay and stunting which may affect the baby’s brain later in life.

The Nutrition Officer intimated the residents on different intervention programmes that the Kwara State Government has put in place in all Health Care Facilities in the State, calling on pregnant women to visit Health Care Centres, attend antenatal care regularly and ask Health Care Providers questions where necessary.